Stacey A. Kartchner serves as Senior Counsel in Klinedinst San Diego. In her practice, she defends professionals in administrative and licensure hearings, as well as litigation involving allegations of malpractice. Ms. Kartchner also represents individuals accused of criminal charges in both state and federal courts as well as material witnesses in federal court and Grand Jury proceedings. She is dedicated to zealously protecting the rights, liberties, and interests of her clients.
Before joining Klinedinst, Ms. Kartchner gained valuable experience working at her own firm for 14 years, and previously a San Diego boutique firm for over ten years. During this time, she honed her skills representing hundreds of clients against criminal charges in both state and federal courts from the initial court appearance through sentencing and on appeal. Ms. Kartchner also gained useful knowledge and trial skills during her internship at the nationally-recognized Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc.
Within the community, Ms. Kartchner serves as the immediate past President of the San Diego County Bar Association, an organization made up of more than 10,000 members. Additionally, she is the current Chairperson of the San Diego Criminal Justice Memorial Committee, made up of numerous state and federal court judges, the San Diego County Public Defender, the San Diego District Attorney, and members of the criminal justice community. In the past, Ms. Kartchner has served as President of both the Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Club and the Criminal Defense Bar Association. She stays very active in the community through her volunteer efforts, membership in numerous associations, and writing/editing articles in various publications.
Ms. Kartchner has achieved the highest AV®-Preeminent™ rating by Martindale-Hubbell. She has been featured in the San Diego edition of Super Lawyers® every year since 2015, and Forbes Advisor named her a Best Criminal Defense Lawyer San Diego (2024). She has achieved a perfect 10.0 rating on Avvo, and was previously named a Top Attorney by the San Diego Daily Transcript.
Education
- California Western School of Law (J.D., 2002)
- University of Utah, Salt Lake City (B.S., 1998)
